Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 FAE-01Review
In-Depth Review
Maker’s Mark. The creators of one of the world’s most ubiquitous bourbons. Maker’s Mark is an icon. A symbol of how permeable the love of bourbon whisky has become into society. You can find rows of their hand dipped bottles at every liquor store in the US, and likely in the most far-flung bars and haunts in the world. But while Maker’s Mark is known as a bourbon standard across the world – they haven’t historically been on the cutting edge of innovation. For years Maker’s seemed to have been content to keep making their 90-proof expression, all while the industry has embraced new trends and pushes towards varied expressions due to the groundswell of enthusiast demand. But in the last few years there’s been a change at Maker’s. With Jane Bowie, Maker’s Director of Innovation leading the charge, Maker’s have finally embraced bigger, bolder, more experimental expressions. Starting with the rollout of their cask strength bottlings, Maker’s 46, their private selects, and a new line of limited release Wood Finishing Series bourbons.
Starting in 2019 with the first installment in the Wood Finishing Series (RC6), Maker’s has created a line of cask strength whiskies that embrace innovative wood finishing techniques to accentuate parts of the Maker’s Mark process. In the case of FAE-01 (the first of two releases for 2021) the crew at Maker’s have taken normal cask strength Maker’s Mark and finishes it with additional time exposed to 10 American virgin oak staves that are toasted on one side, and then left raw on the other. The goal is to highlight the strong wood influence in the bourbon making process and bringing a deeper complexity to the traditional cask strength Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. The name FAE-01– while sounding like a printer model number – is actually a nod to the fatty acid esters that are created during the distillation process. Clocking in at 110.6 proof and featuring non-chill filtration, Maker’s hopes to preserve as much of these FAE’s as possible in the final product. Never having tried one of Maker’s new limited-editions, I am excited to jump in and see the experimental side of Maker’s.
Age:
ABV: 55.3%
Cask: Virgin Oak Finished with 10 Virgin Toasted Staves
MSRP: $60
Distillery Name: Maker’s Mark
Review Date: 4/20/21
Color: Copper
Nose: The initial pour packs a punch. My first whiff is filled with a strong ethanol heat. Even a light sniff can leave a lasting impact on your sense of smell. As it settles, grain sweetness come forward. Then honey, barrel char, wood spice all show up. After a few minutes, the whisky seems a bit closed off – with heat and spice still overpowering much of the flavors. However, the longer the FAE-01 sits, the calmer it gets. Soon tobacco, sawdust, corn, and the distinct smell of a rickhouse floor all burst onto the scene.
Palate: Similar to the nose, my first sip of FAE-01 was a hot and spicy dive into this over 110 proof wheated bourbon. Toasted wood, demerara sugar, molasses, red apple, and an entire box of red hots were all mixed together to create a flavor bomb that has gone nuclear. This is is a big whisky. That extra wood influence isn’t subtle – and at times feel bitter and tannic. This is not the easy drinking Makers Mark your grandfather used to drink. The mouthfeel comes off like you’ve unexpectedly bitten straight into a cinnamon stick – a bit crunchy, very hot, and like chewing on a piece of wood. It’s certainly not a thin whisky, with a vicous and oily mouthfeel that – once you get past the heat – is very enjoyable.
Finish: When dinking FAE-01 neat, wood quickly takes over the finish, leaving a strong drying effect with moments of bitterness with flashes of tobacco, and more red-hot spice. It does linger for an extended period of time, allowing for long and rewarding breaks between sips.
With Water:
After initially drinking this neat, and finding the overall experience rather hot, I did add a few drops of water. This dramatically changed the entire experience. The nose was softer, more well-rounded, sweeter with big bold vanilla and caramel, and devoid of the overpowering heat of my first pour. After 4 to 5 drops, more pomegranate, dark berries, and char appeared on the nose.
After adding a few drops of water, the palate is transformed to a MUCH better bourbon experience. FAE-01 turns into a much softer, richer, and more interesting bourbon marked by big fruity notes like blackberries, cherries, and baking chocolate. The wheat’s personality begins to appear with hints of lemon bars and golden pastry. The tannic bitterness is gone, leaving a much more robust and enjoyable mouthfeel.
But after adding water, the finish becomes shorter, yet at the same time, more enjoyable. The wood is still there, but it is less abrupt with its drying effect and allows more sweetness to seep in. It is still a lingering finish – if not exactly as long as when tasted completely neat.
Final Thoughts: This one was an odd experience for me. When I cracked this bottle, I loved it. But when I sat down to write this review, I found my experience dramatically different than the day before. FAE-01 felt too hot, too woody, and not exceptionally interesting. Maybe it was a casualty of a freshly cracked bottle but the amount of heat and spice for a wheater was unexpected. And the wood was everywhere! It bled all over the flavors and the finish. If this was my only experience with FAE-01, I would have argued that the regular Maker’s Mark Cask Strength was fundamentally more enjoyable. But after adding a few drops of water, the entire experience changed dramatically.
I plopped 5 drops of water into my Glencairn, hoping to recreate my experience from the day before. And after nosing the glass again – I came to a quick and sudden realization – this whisky needs water. With water, this blossomed into an excellent drink worthy of its limited-edition positioning. FAE-01 with a couple drops of water is a richer, and more complex Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, one that highlights the intricacy of wood over the intense sweetness of regular MM CS. Maker’s FAE-01 may not be one of the best bourbons I’ve had this year, but I am hoping with a little air and a bit of opening up in the bottle, this can become something truly amazing. In the meantime, I am going to keep the water close.
